Sling



March 21; 1944. A. R. BALDESCHWIELER 2,344,844

SLING Filed Sept. 17, 1942 6' INVENTOR.

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if Ton 5 Y) Patented Mar. 21, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to slings, particularly the reversible type adapted to support either injured arm of a person as necessary.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a sling of the above general character which may be easily and quickly reversed, and is, as hereinafter disclosed, turned inside out so to support comfortably either the right or left arm, depending upon which may be injured.

A further object is to provide an apron-like sling of the above character in which the supporting part is so positioned and arranged as to support the lower or fore arm and elbow in a natural, easy and slightly downwardly inclined position from the shoulders without strain on the neck.

A further object is to provide a sling with its attaching means whereby it may be adjusted within a relatively wide range, depending upon the size of the person Wearing the same.

A further object is to provide a fitted sling of any suitable material which may be adjusted so far as its various points of connection are concerned to support the arm easily and naturally at any desired elevation, depending upon the injury, yet at the same time permit freedom of the supported hand and fingers.

A further object is to provide a sling free from metallic separable fasteners which may be diflicult to obtain at this time.

A further object is to provide a sling which may be easily removed or put on and adjusted by the individual wearing the same without other assistance.

A further object is to provide a sling in which the fastening means which are preferably buttons, may be easily and quickly removed, thereby to permit laundering without danger of breaking the buttons.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawing and in part hereinafter indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of the invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relation of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof, all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art to fully comprehend the underlying features of this invention, that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by the invention, drawing depicting several forms of the invention have been annexed as part of this disclosure, and in such drawing like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all of the views, in which- Fig. 1 is a front view of the complete sling;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the sling;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views.

Referring now to the drawing in detail and more particularly to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the complete sling is in the form of an apron or vest-like garment which may be slipped over the head by the wearer and comprises a front panel 5 and a back panel 6 connected by shoulder straps 1 thereby to relieve strain on the neck. The front panel 5 is provided with a relativeiy long depending part 8 which is adapted to be folded back upon itself as indicated at iii. and the extreme edge of said depending part being provided with a plurality of transversely positionec separable connections H, H which are adapted to be connected to the upper part of the frnnt panel at the desired height. These separable connections are preferably in the form of buttons which are mounted upon a separate removable strip (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) to coact with buttonholes in the extreme edge of the front panel as well as one set of buttonholes in the garment. Qbviously, these sets of buttonholes which permit height adjustment of the fold may be either in the extreme end of the front panel or opposite the chest in the body of the front panel. By placing the buttonholes slightly at an angle with respect to the true horizontal and cutting the extreme edge on the bias, then the fold is correspondingly inclined so as to hold the forearm in a natural inclined position extending slightly downwardly from the elbow. This aids greatly in comfortably supporting the elbow and tends to prevent relative slipping between the arm and the sling.

The back panel 6 extends from the shoulder straps l downwardly or from near the neck to approximately the waist line and is preferably a solid sheet of material provided with a plurality of sets of flat belt loops I3, I 4 and I5, arranged in rows bot-h horizontally and vertically, whereby a belt It may be passed through any set of horizontal loops depending on the side of the wearer and his comfort. This arrangement is preferable as it serves to provide a firmer flat support for the back and also reduces relative slippage of the belt through these straps.

The belt is preferably connected permanently at one end l1 with one edge of the front panel and extends about the side, thence through the desired set of loops and is detachably connected at its other end l8 to the opposite side edge of the front panel. Here again the connection is preferably in the form of a set of buttons and buttonholes, the buttons l9 being mounted upon a. separate strip so that they may be easily detached from the garment while the sling is being laundered. Likewise these buttons coact with a series of buttonholes in the belt or panel as desired so that the belt may be adjusted to the desired tightness.

It will be noted that the belt between its detachable end and the back panel is provided with a depending tab 20 of relatively strong material, that is, a double thickness of the material from which the sling is made would doubtless be sufiicient and this prevents the belt from fully slipping back through the belt loops when the garment is removed.

For the convenience of the patient, the front panel is provided with pockets 2i and 22 on both the front and the back, the purpose of which construction is to enable the patient to be provided with a pocket for handkerchief or cigarettes in convenient reach of the uninjured arm irrespective of which side of the garment is worn outwardly. In other words, these pockets 2| and 22 are opposite each other in the sense that they are in registry but on opposite sides of the surface 5. Obviously when the left arm is in the sling, then this pocket is convenient to th right hand. If the garment is turned inside out or reversed to support an injured right arm, then the pocket previously on the inside is now on the outside of the garment in convenient reach of the left hand. In other words, these pockets are positioned opposite the side of the depending portion of the front panel as well as directly opposite each other on the inside and outside of the front panel.

The entire garment is preferably made of light weight canvas in order to provide the desired strength and durability. The color, such as white or khaki, for example, is a matter of choice. It is, of course, understood, however, that any suitable material may be employed providing the desired strength, durability and laundering characteristics.

From the above it will be clear that the present invention provides a simple and practical reversible sling adapted to accommodate either the right or left arm, depending upon which is injured, by the mere reversal or turning of the garment inside out. The various parts are so positioned and arranged as to permit easy and quick adjustment according to the size of the person and the relative length of the arm and the 'height to which the arm is to be supported. By having detachable button strips as herein shown, these may be removed with one hand for the purpose of laundering the garment without injury to the separable connections. Furthermore, by having these connections in the form of buttons, the garment is free from any metallic parts which might not only be difiicult to attain at this time but which furthermore would be very likely to rust when the garment is laundered, thereby producing unsightly stains.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical sling adapted to accomplish among others, all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A sling having a panel provided with a head opening to enable suspension from the shoulders in reverse positions, said panel having a sling flap extending from its lower extremity foldable against either face of the panel, said flap being eccentric with respect to the longitudinal median line of the panel and being narrower at its separable end than at its fold line, whereby the flap when positioned against one face of the panel will more advantageously support the adjacent arm and whereby the flap when the panel is reversed and the flap positioned against the other face thereof will more advantageously support the other arm.

2. A sling having a panel provided with a head opening to enable suspension from the shoulders in reverse positions, said panelhaving a sling flap extending from its lower extremity foldable against either face of the panel, said flap being eccentric with respect to the longitudinal median line of the panel and being narrower at its separable end than at its fold line, whereby the flap when positioned against one face of the panel will more advantageously support the adjacent arm and whereby the flap when the panel is reversed and the flap positioned against the other face thereof will more advantageously support the other arm, separable fastening means on each face of the panel, said separable fastening means being opposite each other for selective coaction with the flap in either of its two positions aforesaid, pockets opposite each other one on each face of the panel outside of the areas coverable by the flap for access by the unsupported hand.

AGNES ROSS BALDESCHWIELER. 

